Improvement in waiter calls or signals



e. R. OSBORN & B. A. DRAYTON.

WAITER-CALL, 0R SIGNAL.

Patented May 8,1877

N. PETERS. FHOTO LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D O.

UNITED STATES PATENT Orion.

GEORGE R. OSBORN, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, AND BENJAMIN A.

DRAYTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT |N WAITER CALLS OR SIGNALS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 190,511, dated May 8, 1877; application filed March 2, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE E. OSBORN,

of East Orange, Essex county, State of New Jersey, and BENJ. A. DRAYTON, of the city and State of New York, have jointly invented an Improved Waiter Call or Signal, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to waiter calls or signals for use in saloons, gardens, and diningsignal is made apparent by a simple motion of the hand of the sitter, and is as simply lowered by the waiter while taking the order, thus saving time and perplexity to caller and waiter and avoiding confusion to all, the whole forming a portable apparatus and an ornament to the table.

The Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are elevations of four calls, essentially the same in their parts and in their oifices, varying-only as naturally suggested to the mind of the mechanic, to produce different grades of the same article. The upper parts of Figs. 1, 3, and 4. are shown in section.

Like parts are indicated by like letters of reference.

Fig. 1-A, the base; B, the standard, hollow, and secured to the base; 0, cap of the standard, as also a receiver for the pulleys a a, over which run the cords b b, one end of which are attached to the head D of the elevating sliding or piston rod E, the other ends to the handles F F. These handles are weighted to balance D E G; G, the signal object placed on the upper end of the rod E- in this case a ball, which, when depressed, is incased in the sheath H 1, the set-knob; c, a short piece of tube, the lower end of which is screwed into the cap 0, and through which the rod E passes. Upon it, and near the up- .per end, is screwed a nut, d, which secures hinge g to slip freely upon it, and to which the two hemispherical shells forming the sheath H are hinged at their lower edges. h is a pin in tube 0, which limits the movement of the sliding hinge g, which, with the upper edge of the shellf, limits the opening of the sheath H.

Fig. 2-the same arrangement simplified. The standard B is a solid rod. The pistonhead D slides on it, and the rod E passes through the cap 0. The signal is a disk; the sheath, two disks united at their lower edges. One pulley-cord and weighted handle only are used. The figure 8 appears on the signal, or any other distinctive mark might be used to indicate the table signaling.

Fig.3 shows a ball-signal and no sheath. The handle F in this case is made to perform its part as a detent or vpawl, holding in retention the spiral spring j.

Fig. 4-tl1'e signal G is unfolded as a fan when raised throughthe medium of thefinger piece or sleeve F, rod E, and the holdbacklinks 7c 70, they being hinged at one end to the cap 0, and at the other ends to the outer edges of the fan-signal G. The signal is returned to the sheath H by a downward movement of the rod E, gathering the fan as it is drawn into the taper hole in the cap 0.

Operation: To raise the signal, with the thumb and finger on F, press downward in Figs. 1 and 2, and upward in Figs. 3 and 4. To lower the signal, the waiter will, in all, press down on set-knob I.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 4 the force applied is direct to efiect the raising of the signal.

In Fig. 3 the force applied is to liberate the springj, which raises the signal.

The dotted lines show the position of movable parts when the signals are raised.

The lazy-ton gs principle,taking the place of standard and elevating-rod, might be employed to raise the signal; but we have considered its cost as against its practicability.

We do not claim as new the use, simply, of

ball, disk, or fan, as signal objects; nor the ject G, operated by suitable mechanism, snbuse, simply, of a spiral spring for impelling a stantially as and for the purposes shown and piston-roll; 1101 of balancing-weights as an described. accessory in mechanical movements.

\ T We claim the invention, as a new article of (IEOELIE OSBORL' BENJ. A. DRAYTON. manufacture--v The portable sight waiter call or signal, Witnesses: consisting, essentially, of the base A, stand- E. J. B. GUNNING, ard B, elevating-rod E, and. vertex signal ob- HARRY W. LAWRENCE. 

